Commissioner Reportedly Resigns Amid EFCC Fraud Investigation
Commissioner Reportedly Resigns Amid EFCC Fraud Investigation
Enugu State Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Obi Ozor, has reportedly resigned from the administration of Governor Peter Mbah amid an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigation into allegations of financial impropriety involving the Ministry of Transport.
The development emerged on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, in Enugu, with reports claiming that Ozor had been directed to leave office by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, following weeks of uncertainty surrounding his position.
However, the Enugu State Government has not officially announced Ozor’s resignation, while its official website continued to list him as Commissioner for Transport at the time of this report.
The EFCC has also not publicly announced any criminal charge against Ozor or issued a statement establishing that he diverted government funds.
The development should therefore be treated as a reported resignation connected with an ongoing investigation rather than proof that the commissioner committed fraud.
Sources familiar with developments at the ministry reportedly said Ozor’s office at Independence Layout in Enugu had remained locked for approximately three days, preventing him from accessing his workplace.
He was also reportedly absent from weekly State Executive Council meetings for about two weeks.
A retired Permanent Secretary, Nnam Okoh, was reportedly recalled to oversee activities at the ministry despite the presence of a serving Permanent Secretary.
These claims have not been publicly confirmed by the Enugu State Government.
The controversy reportedly began after allegations involving billions of naira were brought before the EFCC.
According to reports, Ozor and his wife were subsequently questioned and detained at the commission’s Enugu Zonal Directorate for approximately two days before being released.
Significantly, the available reporting claims that records examined during the investigation did not establish that Ozor stole or embezzled state government funds.
That aspect of the story is particularly important because an EFCC investigation or questioning does not amount to a finding of guilt.
No court has convicted Ozor of fraud in connection with the allegations, and no publicly available charge reviewed by Stone Reporters News establishes criminal liability against him.
The EFCC itself had not issued a detailed public account of the reported investigation as of the time of this report.
Consequently, claims concerning the amount allegedly involved, the circumstances that prompted the investigation and the people responsible for any wrongdoing should remain allegations unless established by investigators and, where appropriate, tested before a court.
Ozor was appointed Commissioner for Transport by Governor Peter Mbah in August 2023 and has played a prominent role in the administration’s attempt to restructure transportation in Enugu State.
Before joining government, he was known for his work in Africa’s technology and logistics sector.
He co-founded Kobo360, a digital logistics company designed to connect cargo owners with transport operators.
Enugu State’s official transport portal describes Ozor as having previously worked with companies including Uber and as being involved in technology, logistics and investment before his appointment to government.
As commissioner, Ozor became one of the public faces of Mbah’s transport modernisation programme.
The programme includes new transport terminals, bus shelters, compressed natural gas-powered buses, proposed Bus Rapid Transit infrastructure and efforts to develop road, aviation and rail transportation.
The state government has described the programme as part of a broader plan to reduce transportation difficulties while positioning Enugu as a major transport and logistics centre in the South-East.
Ozor was also closely associated with the development of Enugu Air.
In March 2026, following the airline’s acquisition of its Air Operator Certificate, Ozor described the airline as a strategic component of Governor Mbah’s wider transport and logistics agenda.
He said the plan was to expand the airline’s fleet and begin regional operations before the end of 2026.
The Enugu State Government said the airline was intended to improve connectivity and support investment, tourism, trade and movement within the South-East and beyond.
The latest allegations have consequently attracted attention partly because of Ozor’s involvement in some of the administration’s biggest transport initiatives.
Reports surrounding his departure include claims concerning transactions connected with the state’s aviation programme.
Those allegations have not been established by the EFCC or a court and should not be presented as proven financial misconduct.
There are also unverified claims that internal disagreements within the administration contributed to the situation.
Without official statements or documentary evidence, it would be speculative to attribute Ozor’s reported departure to political rivalry or disputes over particular government transactions.
The uncertainty surrounding his position is further complicated by the fact that official government platforms still identify him as commissioner.
Only last month, Ozor issued a public warning through the Ministry of Transport against the unauthorised use and defacement of newly constructed bus shelters and other transport infrastructure.
He said substantial government resources had been invested in the facilities and warned that individuals or organisations damaging them could face fines and legal action.
His reported resignation therefore represents a potentially significant development for an administration that has placed transportation infrastructure among its major policy priorities.
If confirmed, responsibility for ongoing projects will need to be transferred without disrupting construction, regulation and implementation.
These include the state’s modern transport terminals and associated public-transport reforms.
The Mbah administration began developing modern transport interchanges as part of a wider effort to replace congested and poorly organised motor parks with integrated facilities.
Ozor previously explained that the administration wanted to overhaul road, rail and aviation transportation rather than address individual components in isolation.
The reported EFCC investigation also raises a separate question about accountability for major public infrastructure expenditure.
Large transport programmes involve contracts, procurement, payments and management decisions involving significant public funds.
Where allegations arise, transparent investigation is important both for protecting public resources and for protecting officials from unsupported accusations.
An investigation can establish wrongdoing, but it can equally establish that allegations are unsupported.
That distinction is essential in Ozor’s case.
Reports that he was questioned or detained by the EFCC should not be rewritten as evidence that he stole billions of naira.
Similarly, reports that investigators reviewed records and subsequently released him do not necessarily mean that every aspect of an investigation has been concluded.
Until the EFCC publicly states the status of the matter, the exact scope and outcome remain unclear.
The Enugu State Government also has an opportunity to clarify whether Ozor has formally resigned, whether his resignation was requested, who currently exercises responsibility over the Ministry of Transport and whether ongoing projects will be affected.
An official explanation would reduce speculation surrounding a ministry responsible for several highly visible projects.
For residents, the more important issue extends beyond the fate of an individual commissioner.
Government transportation programmes are financed or supported with public resources, and citizens are entitled to know whether money committed to those programmes has been properly accounted for and whether projects will be delivered as promised.
At the same time, allegations against public officials require evidence.
Public accountability is strengthened when anti-corruption agencies investigate credible complaints, but the presumption of innocence remains important until wrongdoing is established through evidence and the legal process.
As of September 30, the facts publicly established remain limited.
Ozor remains listed on Enugu State’s official platforms as Commissioner for Transport, while multiple reports say he has resigned after being prevented from returning to his office following an EFCC investigation.
Neither the state government nor the EFCC has publicly provided a detailed explanation confirming the reported resignation or establishing the financial allegations against him.
Until either authority does so, the appropriate description remains that Obi Ozor has reportedly resigned amid an EFCC investigation, rather than that he resigned because he had been found guilty of fraud.
